35 Years In The Life Of Lowrider Magazine - Editor's Letter

1977-2012

Even though a whole lot has changed in the last 35 years of publishing this magazine, we have all arrived at a place where Lowriding is an American past time and ritual because of it. Over the past three and a half decades, Lowrider Magazine came to represent a way of life and a diary that has featured over three thousand Lowrider cars, trucks, and Bombs. Over a thousand car clubs have been represented throughout the pages, in addition to nearly two thousand car shows, picnics, and happenings; and who can forget the great party atmosphere of the Lowrider tour car shows as well! This new 2012 January Issue of Lowrider will start the celebration in a tribute to all of the years and memories that were chronicled from the opening pages of the very first issue. Inside the next 12 issues, we will include up to six pages and a “collectable” back-to-back poster collage of the best of Lowrider magazines, past to the near present. Lowrider Magazine has changed and grown, just like the movement that it has fueled, and without it, we wouldn’t be so well recognized, respected, or admired. Much like the classic 5.20’s wires or artilleries, Lowrider has endured, becoming our bible in the fact that as long as the magazine is around to pay homage to our lifeline, Lowriding will never die. That should be everyone’s belief. To know Lowrider is to love it. It’s our magazine; it showcases the blood, sweat, and tears that have molded us into the nation that we have become. Long Live the Lowrider, and Long Live the magazine that represents it!

We also bring in the New Year with this special January Issue by turning on the spotlight from a Bomb fender to feature The Oldies Car Club. Ricardo and the boys have proven that this decades-old Bomb club is a tradition that will last longer than a lifetime. Check out their story as just like the cars they adore, it never gets old.

We have coverage of the annual Imperials Car Show at Hawaiian Gardens, a mainstay within the yearly must-attend events. There are very few shows out there in which there is loyal support from the fans and exhibitors, and this show is certainly one of them. It takes years to build a reputation good enough to garner this level of support, and this year’s monumental event was the club’s 11th; a testament to club’s connection to the community.

We hit the road running with no limits in bringing you an immaculate ’55 Bel Air Convertible for this first cover of 2012. Check this “lighter shade of brown” two-tone combo and appreciate how much more rare it is when it’s displayed on the ground.

This month’s Image segment centers on a real “roll model”―Bomb Club Originals leader “Rocky” Placencia. Rocky is one of those die-hard Lowrider leaders who came from the old school of Lowriding stomping grounds known as the City Terrace area. He has a lot of values and philosophies stemming from his upbringings and he is here to teach them to you from his favorite classroom; the Boulevard.

Please go worldwide on our website and visit our web-exclusive stories as we bring you coverage of an annual picnic thrown by one of Maryland’s premier car clubs, Street Dreamz. We also bring you the “drastic-in-plastic” hobby of Lowrider model cars and the show where these scaled down creations are displayed.

Saul Vargas and the Lowrider Garage are here to steer you straight for the New Year, as your resolution could be an easy-to-install CCP frontend rebuild. You just never know when you might need to pull close and straight to the curb if the cops pull you over!